The integrated management of water resources for a fresh approach to water

By Jean Launay,Chairman of the Comité National de l’Eau (CNE) Download article Before addressing how we can “act at every level, from cross-border cooperation to theintegrated management of water in river basins”, it is worth first taking a look at the legislative basis for water management in France and Europe. In this respect, in our country, the founding law of 16 December 1964 organised themanagement of water based on a number of key principles: water services must be fullyfinanced by users (l’eau paye l’eau), the polluter pays principle and, above all as regards our topic, upstream/downstream solidarity, reflected in: The integrated management of water resources (gestion intégrée des ressources en eau– GIRE). This concept goes beyond the technical management of water to take into account the socio-economic conditions of territories and States, as well as environmental issues and their political and strategic implications. As well as being implemented by States